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Quinn urges donation of old cell phones

Posted November 15, 2007 10:00 pm

Dana Heupel

Commemorating America Recycles Day on Thursday, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn urged Illinoisans to donate their old cell phones to a program that helps victims of domestic violence.

Used phones and accessories can be taken to any Verizon store. They also can be dropped off until Nov. 23 at special boxes in the Capitol, Howlett or Stratton buildings in Springfield or the Thompson Center in Chicago, Quinn said at a Statehouse news conference.

"It really can make a difference in the life of a victim," said Tammy Silverman, executive director of the Sojourn domestic violence shelter in Springfield.

She said phones are given to domestic violence victims who are leaving the shelter and moving into new living quarters, those who are receiving counseling at the shelter and those who call police to report domestic violence.

They can be used as long as needed for local telephone calls, including those for security reasons, Silverman said.

"The phones give victims the security to venture beyond the safety of their homes," said Philip Wood, vice president of public affairs and policy for Verizon-Illinois.

Phones that cannot be donated to domestic violence victims through Verizon's HopeLine Program will be recycled, Wood said. They are wiped clean of any potentially personal information before they are passed along or disposed of, he said.

Quinn said it is important to keep cell phones and other electronic devices out of landfills.

"What we're talking about are valuable commodities and resources," said Mike Mitchell, executive director of the Illinois Recycling Association. Recycling a ton of material saves 1 1/2 tons of global-warming gases, he said.

Dana Heupel can be reached at (217) 788-1518 or dana.heupel@sj-r.com.

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